Tagliani Added to Canadian Motorsport Hall

Alex Tagliani

Alex Tagliani, the 2009 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and the first Canadian to start on the Indy 500 pole in 2011, will join four others Oct. 17 as inductees into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.

"Tag," of Lachenaie, Quebec, near Montreal, was selected to be part of the Player's Canadian driver development program and joined its Formula Atlantic team in 1997. He moved up to Champ Car in 2000 and has made 203 career Indy car starts, most recently in the 99th Indianapolis 500 in May for AJ Foyt Racing. His lone Indy car win came at Road America in 2004. He has also driven sports cars, V8 Supercars and multiple NASCAR events.

"Definitely an honor," Tagliani said of the pending induction. "Need to get my wedding suit out of the closet for that one."

Other inductees are Riverside Speedway (Nova Scotia) founder John Chisholm, car builder Ralph Luciw and seven-time Canadian stock car champion Don Thomson Jr. Sir Jackie Stewart will be inducted in the International Category.